What's new in

BlackBerry AtHoc

7.20

AtHoc Geofencing App

Management system

Improved export of users with dependents
: When exporting users, the "Include all Dependents of selected Sponsors" option now correctly includes the dependent records in the export count and data. The export now includes all sponsors and their dependents, with the count accurately reflecting the total number of users exported.
Improved Operator Export functionality
: The error message displayed when attempting to export only disabled operators has been updated to provide clearer guidance to users. When exporting a mix of enabled and disabled operators, the message has been updated to indicate that disabled operators will not be included in the export.
User Last Updated attributes
: The following User Last Updated attributes can now be exported as part of a user export:
User Last Updated On
User Last Updated By
User Last Updated Source
These attributes are system-created attributes and are not supported in user imports.
Increased organization subscriptions
:Users can now subscribe to up to 50 organizations within an enterprise or super enterprise. Previously, users could subscribe to up to 10 organizations.
Operator Audit Trail
: Data in the Operator Audit Trail is now retained for 12 months. Previously, it was retained for 6 months.
Redirection support across different desktop app authentication methods
:
Customers can now configure redirection between systems with Windows Username and Smart Card authentication.
Customers can now redirect desktop clients between systems with different desktop software authentication methods, such as Windows Username and Smart Card.
This update resolves an issue where desktop clients could not connect when redirected between systems with different authentication methods.
The limitation of requiring the same desktop software authentication method in both organizations has been removed.
Alert placeholders
: When an alert is published, a space is now automatically inserted before any placeholder values to prevent text from running together. Previously, no space was added automatically.
Translation for custom device names
:
On the Custom Translation screen, a new "Translation Type" option was added, enabling users to choose between translating devices or attributes.
When "Devices" is selected, a new typeahead-enabled "Select Device" drop-down list is displayed, with Personal and Mass Devices grouped separately.
The "Select Device" drop-down list shows all enabled personal and mass devices.
A new table displays translation fields for Language, Name, Alert Targeting Help Text, Contact Info Help Text, and Tooltip.
Clicking "Save" will save all translation changes for both Devices and Attributes.
Self Service logout in the Operator Audit Trail
: User log outs from Self Service are now captured in the Operator Audit Trail. Previously, only log in attempts from Self Service were captured in the Operator Audit Trail.
Improved Mac client version parsing
: The server has been updated to parse the existing Mac client version format in the request header. The expected format is now: "bb-athoc/[version] (macintosh-macos; [OS version]; [Mac model]; [locale]; Apple) c:none". This change ensures that the server can correctly identify the Mac client version without requiring customers to update to a new version.
Dynamic hierarchy attribute search
: The "is empty" and "is not empty" operators can now be used for dynamic hierarchy attributes in advanced searches in the BlackBerry AtHoc management system.
LDAP authentication enhancements for the desktop app
: The desktop app now supports a custom LDAP URL field on the User Authentication page. This allows users to override the LDAP root node when using LDAP authentication. The custom LDAP URL field is formatted to accept only valid URLs in the format LDAP:// <DOMAINNAME>.<TOP-LEVELDOMAIN>:<(Optional) PORT#>. For more information, see "Desktop App" in the
BlackBerry AtHoc
Manage Users
guide.
BlackBerry AtHoc
notification to PSS about device deletion
:
BlackBerry AtHoc
now makes a call to the Personal Safety Service (PSS) when a device is deleted, using intervals and job batching to provide this information. This ensures that the PSS can then make a call to the mobile app about the device deletion, allowing the mobile app to display a relevant error code to the end user.
Operator Audit Trail for User Move actions
: The Move Users dialog now logs the "Move locked users" and "Lock all users after move" actions in the Operator Audit Trail. This provides more detailed tracking of user move activities.

Alerting

Geo-aware Single-select picklist attribute
: The number of attribute values was limited to 2000. The attribute value import logic was improved to support batch processing of Geo-aware Single-select picklist attributes.
Dynamic Hierarchy personnel reports
: Personnel reports can now be created for dynamic hierarchy attributes. The hierarchy levels and values are displayed in a list in the Value column and as a bar chart. For more information, see "Create a personnel report based on a user attribute" in the
BlackBerry AtHoc
Alert Tracking and Reporting
guide.
Alert Approval
:
Use the alert approval publishing flow when you need to have a second operator review, approve, and publish an alert.
Alert templates that require approval are indicated by a .
The alert approval publishing flow can only be used for alerts that are published manually by an operator.
Alert approval cannot be used to publish an alert that is being used in a Connect or weather alert rule, or in mobile alert settings.
An entry is added to the Operator Audit Trail when a notification is sent to the alert approvers and when an alert approver approves and publishes an alert.

AtHoc

Account

Automatically subscribe to organizations when the Accountability Officer role is granted from External Operator Permissions
: When granting the Accountability Officer (AO) role from the External Operator Permissions settings page, the operator is now automatically subscribed to the associated organization. This ensures that the AO has access to user accounts to update user status and is targetable in accountability events. The subscription selection is only available when assigning the AO role at the suborganization level. There is no subscription option when granting the AO role at the enterprise or super enterprise levels. The subscription is for the organization that the External Operator Permission is granted from. The start date for the subscription will be recorded and displayed as read-only on the External Operator Role page. If the AO role is revoked, the subscription remains and must be manually revoked from the organization where the user account was created. The Operator Audit Trail displays when the AO role is assigned or revoked, as well as when the subscription is revoked from the user profile.
Respond on behalf of others in Self Service
: Self Service was updated to display the user list and response options for Accountability Officers targeted from an account event started at the enterprise or super enterprise level. Accountability Officers can now access and update users through Self Service. The Self Service page provides AOs a way to view, update, and provide comments on all users assigned to them from any suborganization below an enterprise or super enterprise. This functionality is based on the AO's role, subscriptions, and restrictions at the suborganization level. Operator Audit Log entries are captured when an AO logs in to the Self Service page, accesses users from an accountability event at the enterprise or suborganization level, updates users, or logs out.
Self Service drop-down for suborganizations
:Accountability Officers with subscription and external operator permissions to multiple suborganizations can now access accountability alerts from the Inbox in Self Service to view and update users across those organizations. A drop-down list allows Accountability Officers to select the appropriate organizations when an event is started at the enterprise or super enterprise level. User base subscriptions applied to the Accountability Officer in the external operator role are now applied to the Accountability Officer in each suborganization. The sending organization name is displayed in the Accountability Event Details section to assist in identifying the originating organization.
Accountability Officer role enhancements
: In a super enterprise configuration, the Accountability Officer role can now be assigned at the suborganization level. Accountability officers can respond on behalf of users from accountability events started at all levels of the enterprise (suborganization, enterprise organization, and super enterprise) without needing additional roles to be assigned.
Users granted the External Operator role of Accountability Officer and subscribed to a suborganization can be targeted in accountability events and can respond on behalf of users from accountability events at all organization levels in a super enterprise organization.
Accountability Officers can respond on behalf of users based on their roles in the suborganization, enterprise organization, or super enterprise organization. Any user base restrictions assigned to the operator with the Accountability Officer role are applied at the organization level where assigned and from the organizations above (enterprise and super enterprise organizations.)
Accountability Officers can log into the organization where the accountability event was started, access the Account and All Events tabs, view events, and update users from the
BlackBerry AtHoc
management system and from the mobile app during a live event. User base restrictions are applied, and only allowed users are visible to the Accountability Officer.

AtHoc

Connect

Section 508-compliance improvements

Browser support

Smart card authentication

Smart card authentication clarification
: Clarifying help text was added to the User Authentication page to better explain Smart Card authentication options. The "Enabled Authentication Methods" section now includes a description for the Smart Card option, stating "Selecting this option will make Smart Card authentication usable for Mobile App, Desktop App, and Self Service. Management System authentication can be controlled in the Security Policy." The "Management System Authentication Method" drop-down list now includes a description stating, "To select Smart Card as an Authentication Method, go to the Security Policy."
Support for custom CAC certificate attributes
:
BlackBerry AtHoc
now supports the ability to specify custom attributes for CAC (Common Access Card) certificates. Users can configure these attributes when selecting Smart Card as the authentication method for an application. This enables customers to use their CAC certificates even if the format differs from the default supported format. The Custom Attribute field is not mandatory, supports up to 100 characters, and does not allow the use of < and > special characters.

Mobile app

Desktop App 7.7 (Windows), 2.6 (Mac)

Integrations

IPAWS Event Types are now configurable per organization
:
BlackBerry AtHoc
now allows administrators to configure the IPAWS event types that are available for each organization's IPAWS devices. This provides more flexibility and control over the event types presented to operators. Administrators can add, delete, and edit the available event codes for each IPAWS device. The current set of event codes has been migrated to all enabled IPAWS devices, and duplicating a device will also copy the associated event codes. Scrolling is available if there are more than six event codes configured.
UEM Notifications
: Support for UEM release 12.19 and 12.20 was added.
ServiceNow updates
:
Users can select templates from
BlackBerry AtHoc
that have the "Available for Quick Publish" option configured. Select the "Enable Alert Templates" option on the ServiceNow settings page to enable this feature.
Distribution lists from
BlackBerry AtHoc
can be selected in ServiceNow for targeting alerts. Select the "Enable Distribution Lists" option on the ServiceNow setting page to enable this feature.
A
BlackBerry AtHoc
logo button was added to enable sending an AtHoc alert from a ServiceNow Incident.
New ATI and American Signal Outdoor Warning Sirens devices
: Two new mass notification devices have been added for ATI and American Signal outdoor warning sirens. These devices only support the 'Key' option, without any pre-tone, post-tone, pre-recorded audio, text-to-speech, or play alert content options. The new devices are named:
ATI Outdoor Warning Sirens
ASC Outdoor Warning Sirens
The installation, configuration, gateway, addressing, and endpoints for these new devices are the same as for the existing ATI and American Signal devices.

IIM

ATI – 6.1.0.151
The ability to activate groups of sirens that are not pre-defined in the ATI REACT CCU was added. A way to set the timing for both repeater and non repeater-based activations was added.
The Siren Grouping feature, including siren activation, was added.
Support for group dictionary, including dynamic determination of siren groups based on configurations, was added.
A sorting mechanism for siren activation, prioritizing groups with lower numbers followed by individual sirens, was added.
Logic for sirens was optimized. Dynamic removal of siren and group duplications was introduced.
Logging was improved.
The Text-To-Speech (TTS) engine was upgraded to the latest version.
American Signal – 6.1.0.121
Support for redundant failover and geosiren targeting was added.
An activation of sirens whose sound coverage area intersects with the area of the alert was provided.
American Signal was deployed with 2 IIMs that work in tandem so that if the primary IIM fails to activate the sirens or is down, the secondary IIM takes over and performs the activation.
Federal Signal – 6.1.0.100
: An issue where the CapConService builder did not create the CapCon service was fixed.
INFPe – 6.1.0.247
:
INFPe now enables the attachment of multiple USB-based relay cards to a single IIM, increasing the number of fire panel inputs that can be controlled. This eliminates the need for multiple IIMs, even in scenarios where fire panels require more than 16 inputs.
Expanded the number of inputs from 16 to 128 inputs.
Reduced costs associated with the need to configure and maintain multiple IIMs.
Improved ability to maintain audio synchronization across all inputs and connected relay cards.